Ratchet & Clank, the arsenal has definitely been upped

While San Andreas has stolen much of the thunder from other big name titles debuting over the next few weeks, it's important to pay close attention to the third installment in the Ratchet & Clank series, Up Your Arsenal, breaking ground tomorrow. In many ways, its success is similar to San Andreas, in that it builds upon a proven model. Of course, what everyone is talking about is the brand-new online multiplayer mode, which runs at a flawless 60fps and features eight-player combat with loads of added AI elements. Also earning praise, is a new hybrid control scheme, which joins first person and third person ideas. The debate is still out, Ratchet or Jak? But Up Your Arsenal makes a strong case for the former. Ratchet & Clank 3 is a masterpiece in it's own right, proudly carrying on the classic tradition of action-adventure platformers into the next generation. If you're put off by the sensationalism of GTA, look no further.